This invention relates to a whistling knob for a cooking vessel, and to a cooking vessel which is provided with such a knob.
Devices which provide an audible whistle have been known for many years, both in teapots and other types of cooking vessels. In some instances exemplified by the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 196,443 and 259,580, the audible whistle is produced by introducing steam into a rotary chamber. A more recent device designed for waterless cooking vessels is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,358, in which a knob is provided with a flange which lies inside the cooking vessel, a whistle chamber with centrally aligned inlet and outlet openings, and a sliding cutoff valve.
The present invention provides a knob and cooking vessel which have a number of highly desirable characteristics with respect to manufacture, assembly, operation and maintenance.
One object of the invention is to provide a whistling knob which is conveniently manufactured by molding in two part dies. The components of the device are easily assembled and easily attached to a cooking vessel. The cooking vessel itself does not require any significant modifications except for the provision of a small steam releasing hole which is located in proximity to a conventional weld stud. Due to the configuration of the device, the steam inlet thereof will be aligned with the steam releasing opening in the vessel, regardless of the rotational position of the knob with respect to its axis.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is efficient in producing an audible whistling sound in response to the generation of steam in the cooking vessel. The audible whistle is produced when there is a relatively small amount of steam emission, even in vessels which have loosely fitted lids. The knob is configured so that any steam condensing therewithin will return to the cooking vessel rather than flowing outwardly onto the exposed upper surface of the lid.
Another object is to provide an uncomplicated and effective valve means for disabling the whistling elements of the device.
Still another object is to provide a whistling knob which is easily disassembled and cleaned to remove any residue which may be deposited therein in the course of normal use.